Sam Nelson receives Sportsmanship Award
SPOKANE – Tonasket ended their winning season Wednesday, March 1, with a 76-50 loss to Adna at the 2017 2B Boys Hardwood Classic at the Spokane Veteran’s Memorial Arena.
The Tigers were the first to put points on the board when Ryker Ayers rebounded a missed three-pointer by Adna’s Blake Davis and Jack Montowski sunk a three-pointer assisted by Brayden Landdeck.
Adna’s Cody Young put in two points followed by Davis making good on that earlier 3-point attempt and Adna remained in the lead for the rest of the game.
The first quarter ended 25-15, with Adna ahead 47-26 by the end of the first half. The Pirates hit two-thirds of all their shots in the first half and over 50 percent from the 3-point line.
Brayden Landdeck led the Tigers with six assists.
“Part of that is Adna ran their offense well and got good, open shots,” said statistician Brent Baker, “but that is incredibly hot shooting.”
Adna hit 18 of 27 attempted field goals, or 66.7 percent in the first half; and eight for 14 attempted 3-PTs for 57.1 percent.
The second half of the game didn’t get any easier for Tonasket, with Adna’s Young scoring the first points on a 3-PT half a minute in to put the Pirates up 50-26. Ayers scored first for the Tigers on a jumper, assisted by Landdeck, giving the Tigers 28 points to the Pirates’ 54.
Young put in a 3-PT followed by Jordan Thrasher putting one in for Tonasket, assisted by Landdeck.
The Pirates were ahead 69-36 heading into the final quarter, which opened with Blake putting in a 3-PT for the Pirates followed by Quincy Vassar putting in a 3-PT and another by Thrasher.
Tonasket hit 27.6 percent of their field goals for the game, 33.3 percent of their 3-PTs and half of their free throws.
Sophomore Quincy Vassar put in eight points for his team, and classmate Jack Montowski led the Tigers in scoring with 14.
Montowski led in scoring with 14 points, three rebounds and one assist.
Ayers put in nine points and grabbed four rebounds.
Thrasher also totaled nine points, with one rebound.
Vassar scored eight points and had one assist.
Landdeck put in four points, four rebounds and six assists.
Ethan Smith scored three points, two rebounds and one assist.
Riley Morris put in two points and had one rebound.
Sam Nelson scored on a free throw and grabbed five rebounds.
Jesse Ramon had two assists and one rebound.
Riley Haug and Chad Bretz each grabbed a rebound.
Scoring for the Pirates was led by Davis with 18 points.
Tanner Ridgon had 15 points, followed by Young (13) and Conner Weed (10). Lyle Metzenberg had six rebounds and Preston Ashley grabbed five.
Nelson a good sport
The Sportsmanship Award was given to senior Sam Nelson.
Sam Nelson, pictured with Athletic Director Kevin Terris, received the Sportsmanship Award for Tonasket.
“The WIAA staff asked me if I had a player in mind at the beginning of the game, but I asked them to see if we came up with the same player when it was time to hand out the medallion,” said Tonasket Athletic Director Kevin Terris. “I wanted all the kids to have a shot of earning it. I was happy to see that we agreed that Sam should be recognized for his support of his team and his kindness to his opponents in that game, as well as all season long. Sam really is one of the kindest kids I’ve ever met.”
The Tonasket Tigers were coached this year by Kevin Landdeck, assisted by Dave Kirk, Steve Williams and Parker Landdeck.
According to Terris, this is the first time the team has gone to the State Championship since 2007.
“Only 12 teams got that opportunity and we were one of them,” said Coach Landdeck.
Terry Mills/submitted photo Brayden Landdeck led the Tigers with six assists.
